13 Years Later
by Jadedsnowtiger
Summary: The second part of Life After Order 66, taking place 13 years after the lose of the Jedi.
1. Chapter 1

Thanks to Taraum for continuing her editing job for this second story book!

Please note this is ten years after "Life after order 66."

Looking back, I never thought I would be here. I was raised to be a Jedi. But the more I think about it, even if I could, I wouldn't change my life now even for the title of Master.

That night thirteen years ago changed not only my life but also everyone else's. Order 66 was genocide for the Force-sensitives. I had lost most of my friends, my childhood teachers, and my mentors…including the most important teacher in my life, my Master. I knew he was still alive. Every now and then, I would wake up from a nightmare of Anakin's screaming in pain. Often, it would make me wish for his death, just to relieve him of whatever was causing him such pain.

I loved my Master, but I never reached out for him. How could I, after what he had done? I would not endanger my family. I couldn't trust a man who had betrayed everything for an unknown reason. I pray that whatever he was after was worth it.

Through all the hard times, I had managed to learn so much over the past taught me how to be a soldier, teaching me things the Temple would have frown on. But they had kept me alive throughout the years. Above all else, Rex taught me how to love, even in the early days of our romance when he was so patient with me.

The second most important thing I had learned was the value of family from a peach Twi'lek who had taken me into her family and under her wing. Suu had been more than happy to help out the man who had saved her family. Her husband, Cut, was a runaway trooper, like Rex had become. I went from being a Jedi Knight to being a housewife and nanny. It wasn't long before I learned that I had missed my shot and was carrying Rex's child. During my pregnancy, we had found more of our fallen family. Aayla and Bly had survived and were brought home to us.

During my pregnancy with Plo, Aayla and Bly had gone to the Rebel base on Tattooine to inspect the new facility and to make sure the former troopers were taking good care of themselves. During their first visit to the base, Aayla and Bly had found Fives, who had been abused and broken while in prison for not following orders. It took months to get him back to the man we all remembered. Rex and I welcomed Fives into our pack with open arms before they were called off on a mission to save Neno, the first Force-sensitive child in our family.

Two more Force-sensitive children joined us shortly after, Nara and Angel. Nara was adopted by Aayla and Bly, while Angel was given to Cut and Suu, since the two had been denied a child for so long.I had been delighted to learn that one of my best friends had made it through Order 66, and Barriss joined the family, bringing Kix and Chopper with her.

Our pack grew even bigger when Aayla delivered a set of twins, and Chopper and I adopted little Hunter. Soon after, I learned I was pregnant for the second time. I also learned that Barriss was pregnant at the same time as me. During our pregnancies, Barriss and I decided that we should join our families in a co-marriage. We were sharing husbands already, and this action only brought our family closer together.

Barriss gave birth to a sweet little girl who Kix named Daisy only minutes before I gave birth to my third son, Zeke, a name chosen after a bolo player Fives and Echo had once turned out to be the first blue-eyed Mando in our household, since her eyes continued to stay blue well after her infancy had faded. Zeke had all my looks; no one could even tell he was a hybrid unless you noticed that his body language was exactly like Fives' body language. Zeke also had a way of finding trouble when Daisy wasn't around watching him.

Once the twins turned five, Aayla began working more with the Rebellion, carrying information back and forth. As much as I knew my place was with the children, I felt like I wasn't doing my part to destroy the Empire. So, as my children became less dependent on me, I joined the Rebellion. I felt it was time that I became part of the action. Rex or Fives always found a way to accompany me on my trips, and occasionally Nara or Neno would join me, since they were at that time almost old enough to begin their Padawan training.

Shaeeah, now in her twenties, remained the town's midwife. After a three-year engagement, she married Mica in the fall under the beautifully colored trees. As a wedding gift, Cut gave the new family a small part of the farm where they built their house. That way, Shaeeah would never be alone when her husband was away working for the Rebellion. Shaeeah adopted four-month-old Akuh, who was simply handed to Shaeeah by a nun from a neighboring town. Akuh's mother was a spice addict, who unfortunately never stopped using during her pregnancy. A year later, Shaeeah gave birth to a beautiful boy who Cut named Nill.

Jekk, who had just turned twenty, was happy working in the fields and enjoyed the hard labor that came along with it. But after accompanying me on a run to bring vegetables to a Rebellion base, he had come to build a strong relationship with a former trooper named Cutter…although neither was really ready for a commitment just yet.

Nara, now almost fourteen, was turning into a very beautiful woman, who, like her mother, was just as deadly as she was beautiful. She could always be found with her nose in a book. Because of her fascination with knowledge, Barriss decided to make the medical field part of her Padawan training, taking the child with her after hours to the clinic to teach her everything she knew about medicine. Nara loved ever minute of it and would often spend hours trying to explain her day to the rest of us. Thankfully, Chopper loved hearing about her day and would sit with Nara for hours so she could tell him.

Neno, almost fourteen, was a scout through and through. I often spent my afternoons taking him out to hunt dinner. Neno remained an adventurous child, always wanting to ask questions and willing to help anyone he could. He had taken on several of Jekk's personality traits, often stopping his work to help out with the children. His never-ending patience was amazing.

Angel, ten years by now, was the only Force-sensitive child who absolutely refused to use her Force abilities. Once she started school, she quit her training, wanting to be normal like Shaeeah. But she remained the most interesting child, keeping everyone on their toes.

Skylin and Elle, both now eight, turned out to not be Force-sensitive, much to everyone's relief. Being Twi'lek women already made their lives harder than we were willing to admit. Skylin begged to take ballet classes, something she excelled in. Her sister turned out to have a taste for music; Elle would play her mandolin from the time she got home from school until her bedtime.

Like his fathers, Plo was a smart child, quickly able to adapt to any situation. Even at his young age of nine, Plo was showing mental ability beyond his age group. He was a selfless child who never thought of himself first, always putting Hunter and Zeke ahead of himself to prove that his brothers were just as good as he was.

Hunter was my quiet Force-sensitive child, who we believed was very strong with the Living Force. Hunter understood things that no child really should, often asking questions that would keep me up all night wondering how such a young child could ponder such things about the world around him. Hunter enjoyed both his lightsaber classes with Aayla and his long meditation classes with Barriss. He was the only child who could meditate for long periods of time without becoming bored.

Daisy and Zeke, both several months shy of their sixth birthday, shared an odd connection. Everyone firmly believed that the two were telepathic with each another, since the two rarely spoke out loud together. They shared a unique connection; even as babies, the two never liked being away from each another, staying almost side-by-side since the first day. So, it came as no surprise when both ended up being Force-sensitive; and, to this day, both would rather communicate telepathically.

We all went to extra lengths to ensure Plo and the twins weren't left out during Force-training lessons. Often Fives and Bly would take the three out for hide-and-go-seek while their siblings went through their lessons. Other times, we would allow the children to go through the meditation practices and kata lessons, which would help them with self defense, regardless of their Force sensitivity.

Akuh, four months, was a little purple Twi'lek who Shaeeah and Mica adopted. Everyone who saw him instantly fell in love with him. Mica cancelled his next run to rush home and meet their first child, and the couple moved back into the house as the young couple helped the newborn through his withdrawal phase. Afterwards, the only symptom that remained was his weak immune system; for this reason, we had been given permission to homeschool him. Suu would sit her grandson down in the afternoon as I dragged the little children out to the fields to play games.

My sweet little Ecko, was the first daughter I had…she lived only a short month before she fell asleep and never woke back up. It was one of the worst experiences I had ever faced, but, always faithful, Suu sat with Barriss, the boys, and I as we worked our way through the grieving process.

Little Nill was Shaeeah's happy three-year-old, a very smart Twi'lek who every afternoon would crawl onto Chopper's lap for cuddles instead of his nap because he knew Chopper couldn't say no to him.

My second daughter, Penny, was born two short years ago. Penny was, oddly, born with very light hair and neither lekku nor montrals; but her attitude was all Togruta. She was her daddies' little girl though; it didn't matter which father, she would go to any of them, flash a smile, and get whatever her little heart desired. Kix and Fives were the worst; they couldn't say no to her, although I'm sure they would say the same thing about me.

Little Bug, nicknamed for his large eyes, had just turned four months. He had all his mother's looks but often displayed characteristics we all believed to be Kix's, although Fives would claim the child was his. That part never mattered. The relationship between Barriss and me had grown so strong that neither of us minded that Fives and Kix had their own little fire going on, since both of us often got to enjoy the show or even be a part of it. Especially during Barriss' pregnancy, we often shared the bed, as well as husbands, because of her increased libido.

Chopper's stroke over two years ago had left him partially paralyzed on his left side, but with the boys' help, Chopper had learned quickly how to overcome his new disability, especially since the children were always willing to help him. It was amazing how the family drew together to ensure everything about Chopper was taken care of. Every minute of the day, someone was with him to prevent his falling into depression. With Plo and Hunter, both would run home from school every day to sit with buir and tell him stories. Chopper never regained his speech back, but he regained the use of his left hand. The children forced him to color, paint, or play with clay as therapy to strengthen his hand. Jekk brought home several datapads from the library and sat with Chopper for hours, teaching him and the little ones to read and make sign language so they could talk with Chopper.

Once Penny got older, the call to join the Rebellion grew louder. I'd had several talks with Aayla about joining her on her travels. It was time to start Neno's training, and we planned to let him earn his crystal through an akul hunt that he was looking forward to very much.


	2. Chapter 2

_Awesome thanks to Taraum for her editing job! Thank you everyone whom has added me to their favorite list and for your continued support. _

_The devastation around me was horrible…you could almost taste the burning, charred flesh from the dead. And the stench was even worse. I could hear laughter coming from the stormtroopers as they kicked and spit on the dead. One even pissed on a dead male._

_I could hear someone yelling for the men to come to attention. It was probably a sergeant, although without the uniform markings, it was hard to tell._

_I wasn't seeing through my own eyes. I was seeing through the eyes of one of the older troopers, one who was very upset with what he was seeing. I had felt this man a few times in the last few years. I had tried to reach out to him, confused as I tried to determine who he was. For the longest time, I had thought it was Cody, but I wasn't so sure anymore.I could feel a darker person as I moved in front of the man dressed in black._

_It had been several months since I had last seen him in my dreams, this tall man dressed in black…a shadow of the man he used to be. He looked around at the destruction before demanding to see the captured Jedi._

_My dream began to change as one of the troopers came forward, saluting. "We've found her sir. She's in lock up."_

"_Take me to her," Vader demanded before being led into the makeshift cage where the troopers stood beside the door, fully armed. As the door opened, I saw myself: bound, broken, and abused._

"_I will find you, little one."_

"Soka, calm down," a voice soothed, trying to wake me up from the horrible nightmare.

"Let me go," I screeched, falling off the bed, momentarily unsure of where I was or who I was with.

"Ahsoka," the voice whispered patiently as I attempted to fight back. "_Cyar'ika_, it's me. You're safe."

"Sa-fe." The broken words from Chopper brought me back from my hellish nightmare. Little Bug was screaming across the hall as Penny looked over her crib rails, her eyes wide before she held out her arms, eager for Chopper to hold her.

"Did she fall out of bed?" Kix asked. I couldn't see him, but I could sense his presence as I leaned against the wall, trying to steady myself. Chopper was watching from the bed, trying to swing his leg over the bed but unable to without some support. I could feel his fear for me as Kix spoke to him, attempting to explain what was happening.

"Jump-ed."I could feel Chopper's frustration as he sat in bed, unable to help me.

"That's bad," Kix shook his head, kneeling down beside me. "Are you still with us?" He asked, shining a small flashlight into my eyes. "Was it a nightmare or a vision?" Kix asked softly.

"I don't know," I admitted as Kix wiped my tears away. Feeling confused, he helped me to my feet, hugging me tightly against his chest. The crying in the other bedroom tapered off as Barriss came into the room, carrying little Bug on her hip. With a sad smile, she passed the baby to Chopper before rushing over to my side.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Barriss whispered. "What did you see?"

I noticed that little Penny was still standing up in her crib, waiting for someone to pick her up. I couldn't speak, instead focusing all my attention on Penny. I swallowed thickly, motioning at the baby. Kix walked over to the child and picked her up with a kiss. However, she was now fixated on Chopper, who was busy watching me, unsure of what he could do to help. Little Penny only smiled to me, her eyes bright as she smiled up at me.

"I need some air," I spoke softly.

"Let's get some tea and watch the lightning bugs," Barriss soothed, petting my cheek.

I found myself sitting on the porch swing beside Barriss as she placed a warm cup of tea in my hands.

"Anakin?" Barriss whispered sympathetically, gazing at me as I watched the lightning bugs in front of us.

"I'm not sure," I told her. "It didn't feel like him."After cutting myself off from the Force, I had barely used it unless I was teaching the children or sparring with Barriss. "Maybe it was a night terror," I shook my head, looking out over the lawn. "Mas- Vader. He and his men attacked a village. I don't know where or why. But I saw myself in lock-up."I looked up at Barriss, confused as tears fell onto my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away.

"Is it because of the upcoming trip to Shili?" Barriss asked.

"I don't know," I sighed.

"Should we cancel it?" Barriss suggested, pulled on my lekku to reorient me. I shook my head. I couldn't do that to Neno. "Nara has already done her passage," I said. The younger Mirialan was still excited about her first two small star tattoos. She was now choosing to wear sleeveless clothing to show off the marks on her shoulder. "Neno has been very patient with me, but he wants to hunt for akul."I remembered my own excitement when Master Plo had told me of my own trip.

"Neno could wait a little longer," Barriss assured, threading her fingers through mine and kissing my hand.

"No. Neno needs this," I insisted, shaking my head. "I need it too, or I may never allow him to grow up."

"He needs to grow up," Barriss nodded. Even Aayla was struggling with her attachment to her children.

"Nara has done her passage," I turned to her. "Neno only wants to do the same."

"A Jedi is patient," Barriss smiled.

"It's time to let him grow," I told her, running my hand though her hair, smiling at the realization that it felt like silk.

"Then I guess you're going hunting this weekend," Barriss smirked.

"It would be nice to see another Togruta," I admitted, "and maybe learn about hybrid children…if there are any others."

"It would be nice to know if Penny will go through her heat cycles or not," Barriss agreed.

"_That_ I am not ready for," I growled at Barriss' teasing. She smiled, laying her head down on my shoulder.

"It will be fun," Barriss continued to tease me.


	3. Chapter 3

Special thanks to Taraum for her editing job, ever so perfect, as well as thanks to everyone whom has added me on to their Fav list!

"The akuls are mighty creatures!" the voodoo priestess spoke loudly as the children rushed over, gathering at her feet to hear the legend. It had been two weeks since my nightmare, two busy weeks of Neno's preparing for this trip. Neno had asked that we bring along my boys so they could learn about their native culture. With Aayla's assurance that it was safe, I had asked who wanted to come along.

It had surprised me that Zeke, never before having left Daisy's side, asked if he could join Neno and me in our travels. Hunter declined the offer but made Plo promise to tell him about everything he saw. Little Penny wasn't quite ready to travel with us, so I had left her with Chopper and Fives to spoil.

I had brought the boys to the village Master Plo had taken me to for my training. Though I hadn't really partaken in many of the activities, the priestess had recognized me instantly and allowed me to bring my boys into the ceremony.

Neno was easily the youngest hunter by about five years, but he looked more composed than the older participants. Beside him, Plo was busy taking in everything around him. I didn't blame him. The long red grasslands around the town were interesting to see for the first time. Zeke stood by my side, watching the other Togrutas with wide eyes and whispering a hundred questions to me while I tried my hardest to keep up with them. I could imagine Master Plo laughing at me from deep within the Force. I remembered irritating him with the same questions. _Why was the grass red? What made them red when it wasn't fall yet? What did an akul look like? Why weren't the villagers wearing shoes? What was that smell coming from the huts?_

This small town was only a few cliks from the rainforest, which looked as if it would be a three hour walk to reach. A dirt road led the way through the long red grass. Rex had stayed back at the hotel to see if he could pick up any information from the town's bars. He no longer looked like any of his brothers; none of my husbands did. The farm work had filled out their bodies differently, and, with their suntans and different hairstyles, it was hard for anyone to place them as ex-troopers. Even their brothers at the various bases had a hard time believing them. But they were still as deadly as they had been twelve years prior.

"They once were mighty animals, roaming the lands and destroying everything they touched. Until one day, a mighty Togruta, Zam, came home from his hunt to find that the angry beasts had killed his family. Zam stood up and said, 'No more will I be scared of you!' Zam challenged the mighty akul.

'This is my home!' So Zam made a bow and arrows to protect himself, using the bones of his dead family members-"

_What a morbid story to tell young adults_, I thought as I stood watching over Neno. He seemed to be paying attention to the story, watching the priestess with wide eyes. When Plo looked at me, confused by the story, Neno took his hand and started to explain whatever Plo didn't understand. I looked down at Zeke when he let go of my hand as something caught his attention. I followed, allowing him to lead me to a little playground where all the younger children were playing. I smiled softly to myself as Zeke was quickly dragged into a game of tag, as a child wearing the mask of an akul ran around roaring. I turned back, checking on Plo and Neno, whom were listening with awe at the story. The children's giggling was contagious as I sat down on an empty bench near the other parents.

I had never seen so many Togruta children in one area; it was an interesting sight, though it wasn't nearly as interesting as the young toddler that caught my eye. I watched as the child lifted a ball without touching it, tossed it at a large rock in front of her, and giggled. She picked it up and repeated it several times.

The child wandered off after her toy, slightly dirty from playing in the dust. I moved closer, kneeling down beside her. The green-eyed youngling showed no fear of me. She looked up with a smile, passing me her ball in invitation to join the game.

I smiled softly, looking around to ensure that no one was watching, before lifting the purple ball with the Force, causing her to giggle. "Yes, I can do this too," I whispered as she smiled up at me. Only one of her fangs was visible, making her look so much cuter than she already was.

"Up!" the child giggled softly as she lifted the toy, tossing it over to me. I followed her lead, trying to test her capabilities.

"You try," I told her, wanting to see her work. She smiled, showing me how to toss the ball against the wall before calling it back to herself.

"Please! I will pay you not to report her," a voice whispered hoarsely. I turned around to see one of the villagers standing in the shadows. The woman trembled in my gaze, as if she knew I could easily overpower her.

"I'm not here to steal her from you," I assured her gently, moving away from the child. She rushed over to the little one and scooped her up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"She isn't supposed to do these things," the woman sighed, looking down at the child, who had no idea what was going on. "She's not old enough to understand. Please don't turn her in!"

"Did you find her, Hara?" a deep male voice suddenly asked. Starting at the familiar tone, I looked up into brown eyes regarding me in fear before he recognized who I was.

"Sia?" he asked. The Togruta looked me over, trying to place me. His voice seemed familiar as I went through the small list of Togrutas I knew.

"Tye, right?" I asked. Even after all this time, his appearance had barely changed.

"She knows about Tolm," the woman whispered fearfully as she hugged the toddler closer, shielding her from me.

"How much will it cost?" Tye asked, swallowing hard.

"I'm not going to report your child," I assured them again.

"Anyone would pay highly for that information," Tye reminded me. I held up my hand in sympathy, knowing that horror all too well.

"I would have to report myself first," I admitted, closing my eyes and praying to the Force.

"You are a-?" he began. I nodded silently, stepping back. What were the chances that I would have chosen the village he lived in?

"Are you a Jedi?" the woman whispered.

"Wait," Tye cautioned as he took his daughter from the woman. "There weren't that many Togrutas among them. How do I know you're not a Sith?"

"My name's Ahsoka," I told him, praying it wouldn't backfire. "Ahsoka Tano."

"Ahsoka Tano?" Tye repeated before his eyes lit up. He smiled as he recognized me. Why couldn't I have had a boring master who never made the headlines?

"I remember hearing that name. You were the young Padawan who helped save a large group of Togrutans back on Kiros." Tye watched me for a moment. "A pygmy Togruta. That was you, wasn't it?" Tye continued to ask me. I felt my spirits start to lift.

"I was," I whispered, feeling tears sting at my eyes. His eyes grew sad at the thought.

"But you survived," Tye smiled brightly, taking my hand in his. "There are still Jedi among us."

"We aren't Jedi anymore," I shook my head. "You know as well as I do that word is a death sentence."

"Then what do you call yourself?" Tye teased.

"Ahsoka. Sia, to smugglers," I teased, glancing over at Neno and Plo.

"This is my first wife, Hara. Hara, meet Ahsoka." The woman smiled nervously. I glanced over at Zeke, who was still caught up in the game of tag. It appeared that he was it now. He was running around, causing me to smile. He had too much of Fives in him.

"So, if you're not here for a Force-sensitive child, why are you here?" Tye asked as we watched his daughter play with her ball. She giggled as she chased it in a circle.

"Training. My apprentice needs to defeat an akul," I told Tye as I watched his daughter.

"He's your Padawan?" Tye asked.

"He's undergoing his trials," I nodded.

"Which child is yours?" Tye asked in confusion, gazing at the crowd and trying to find him. "The Nautolan?"

"And the hybrid beside him," I nodded.

"They are beautiful," Tye told me, "Is your husband human?"

"Yes, _they_ are," I smirked, watching as Zeke tagged a new person and rushed off to Plo, who was now looking for someone to play with now that the story had ended.

"It must be lunch," Hara smiled, grabbing the ball out of the air quickly. Tye picked the girl up before she could start crying, and Hara handed her the ball.

"Let's find somewhere private," Tye suggested quietly.

"I have three younglings with me," I shook my head. "That won't make hiding easy."

"Are you hungry?" Hara asked, turning to me. "I'm sure your boys are."

"They are always hungry," I agreed before noticing that Zeke was standing beside me, tugging at my skirt. "Are you hungry, baby bear?" I smiled. Zeke nodded, looking suspiciously at Tye and Hara.

"Yes," Zeke nodded. "Should I get Neno and Plo?"

"They're behind you," I said, smiling at the boys. Neno waved at the couple.

"We've been invited to join Tye and his family for lunch," I told the three boys as they moved closer. Neno looked Tye over, obviously measuring his strengths.

"I'll bite," Neno nodded, looking down at Plo and Zeke.

"I like food," Plo smiled.

"Tye, these are my sons, Plo and Zeke. And this is my nephew, Neno," I introduced. "Tye works with one of my contacts," I informed them. Hopefully, that would put my over-protective boys at rest.

"Hello, boys," Tye smiled warmly. "This is one of my daughters, Tolm, and my wife, Hara." Tolm smiled up when he mentioned her name, before reaching for me.

"Our other wife is back under the trees," Hara smiled, taking my arms as if we had been friends for years. "Our third is back home with the newborn, as is our second husband."

"Full house," Neno smiled, but something in his tone made me turn back to look at him. I could tell, from his expression, that he was still in full protection mode. I smiled at him, trying to reassure him.

"You're here for your hunt?" Tye asked Neno, trying to strike up a conversation.

"An akul," Neno nodded.

"What's your weapon of choice?" Tye asked curiously. Neno looked at me, unsure if he could answer.

"My bow," Neno quickly lied.

"And you hunted your own?" Hara asked me. I noticed she wore no akul teeth in her montrals.

"I did," I answered.

"What about you, young man? Will you be hunting an akul one day?" Tye smiled down at Plo.

"I'm going to be a farmer, like my dad," Plo said, shaking his head.

"I will," Zeke piped up. "Papa is going to teach me how to hunt."

"When you're older," Neno reminded him.

"I is older," Zeke pouted, his brown eyes challenging.

"I _am_ older, Zeke," I corrected him. I had noticed that away from Daisy, he had a bit of a speech impediment, more than likely picked up from Chopper.

"Am," Zeke nodded, agreeing with me.


	4. Chapter 4

Special thanks to Taraum for her awesome editing job, thanks to everyone whom added me to their favourite list.

"Do your boys like thimiar?" Hara asked, starting to unpack her picnic basket.

"We don't have it back home," I smiled as Neno asked what thimiar was.

"It's a rodent, like rabbit," I told him as Hara passed him a slice.

"Only a little bit, in case you don't like it," she told him with a soft smile. Plo took the offered piece without a second thought, while Zeke cuddled into my neck shyly, unsure of whether or not to eat it.

"Plo and Neno will eat anything," I laughed, watching the older boys. "Zeke still copies me."

"He's still young," Tye smiled as he poured the cold tea out, giving the boys one of their three cups to share.

"Eventually he will grow out of it," I said, taking the ball out of midair as Tolm tried to toss it to me with her mind.

"We can't play in the open, little one," I murmured, wishing things were different. If we were at home, I would have tossed it back with the Force, giving her praise for her raw talent at such a young age.

"I like play," Zeke giggled. "Tackle?"

"Tackle!" Tolm giggled, getting up. She waited for Zeke to join her as she tossed the ball, both running after it. Smiling softly, I turned my attention to Neno and Plo, who were both quite happy to eat whatever Hara was about to give them.

"Thimiar is a rat?" Plo asked in confusion as Hara tried to explain to them what they were eating.

_"_Kind…of," Tye hesitated, watching Neno's expression and laughing as he stared down at it in horror.

"You let us eat this?" Neno blinked.

"I told you it was a rodent," I sighed.

"Still tastes yummy," Plo shrugged, taking Neno's portion for himself. Neno blinked a few times, watching Plo eating before he shrugged off the new information. He did, however, take a huge sip of tea.

"When do you plan on hunting?" Tye asked.

"Tomorrow, the eastern plains. That's where I was taken," I answered, watching as Tolm tacked Zeke, tossing him to the ground. Zeke growled playfully, trying to fight back..

"They have several strongholds out there. It's a good spot," Tye nodded before starting to eat.

"I'm taking my oldest daughter to the west, where my father took me," Tye said. "But the eastern plains are where the pygmy tribes normally go. The grass is perfect for hiding."

"I am not short," Neno smiled widely. The child was already the same height as me and threatening to grow taller.

"Not for long," Tye agreed. As the two teased me about my height, Hara rolled her eyes. "You will be tall, as most Nautolans are."

"Dad says that too," Neno nodded, his lekku bouncing around on his neck.

"You work with the military, too?" Hara asked, turning the conversation around.

"I'm a pilot," I replied, eating the fruit in front of me. "Shipping supplies to and from military bases."

"Are you still…practicing?" Hara asked hesitantly, unsure of how to ask the question.

"I mostly teach the children now," I smiled, watching Zeke play. "Gymnastics, swordplay, archery, and their schooling."

"You do archery as well?" Tye asked.

"Someone had to teach Neno," I teased. Everyone played a part in teaching.

"What's the biggest game you have caught?" Hara asked.

"Deer," Neno beamed, very proud of himself. "I like the boars better, though; they are harder to catch."

"Boars are tricky," Tye agreed.

"Uncle Rex made me take one down with a spear before I came here," Neno grinned.

"A mighty task for one so small," Hara teasingly praised.

In all, it turned out to be a great afternoon. While Plo and Neno returned to the priestess' stories, Tye and Hara were able to give me much information about my own heritage. The rough playfulness, the biting, and the difficulty with stopping breast feeding was all apparently normal behavior for Togruta children. Tye's second wife was also a pygmy, and I had been given an invitation to join them at their house after the hunt. But I had to talk about it with Rex before I could give them an answer.

"How much taller am I going to get?" Neno asked as I tucked Zeke into bed beside him.

"Master Fisto was taller than your father," I thought out loud, kissing Zeke's head. "Six and a half, maybe seven feet tall."

"Very tall," Neno snorted.

"And Mommy is so short," Plo giggled. I shook my head, frowning at him.

"Tiny little mommy," Rex's baritone teased from the other room. He walked into the doorway, deeply engrossed in reading his datapad.

I teased back. "You get the couch."

"Oops," Plo smiled up at me before hugging me goodnight.

"Can I sleep with you, then?" Zeke asked sweetly.

"This is the boys' room," I reminded him. I was trying to break all the children of the habit of crawling into bed with us. It would only be harder on them in the long run. "If you have a nightmare or need us, you come get us. But try to stay with your brothers."

"Okay," Zeke nodded. I smiled back, knowing this was his second night away from Daisy. Last night he had passed out from over-excitement, but tonight he was missing her. I kissed his head again before leaving the room, turning off the light as I exited.

"How long do we have?" I grinned, stealing the datapad from Rex's hand before sitting on his datapad was a gift from Rex's informant, and Rex had been unable to put it down since we met up this afternoon for dinner, even as the children had been trying to tell him about their busy day.

I quickly looked over what he was reading, information about a space station in the works…or was it a battleship? So far, no one had been able to figure it out.I had heard about this mysterious construction in bars and in some of the Rebel bases, but seeing it like this made it more station represented everything I had begun to hate over the last few years. It represented everything Anakin and I had once fought against, and now it was the only thing that Vader fought for.

"A Death Star?" I asked as I looked over the graphics. It was massive, easily the size of several Star Destroyers combined.

"That's what the stormtroopers are calling it," Rex nodded as I scooted out of his lap, sitting on the edge of the chair to read it.

"It really is the size of a moon," I whispered, my throat clogging up.

"It is," Rex nodded, watching me carefully to gauge my reaction.

"It's…real," I hesitated, my fingers tracing over the deadly designs.

"Yes," Rex agreed, running his fingers over my cheek to comfort me.

"We live on a moon," I swallowed thickly, looking over at the door to the other bedroom. Behind it lay the beat of my heart, some of the last remnants of the Jedi's teachings.

"We are safe," Rex promised, taking the datapad from me. "This 'moon' is still in the Core, where it holds all its power," Rex stopped to shake his head, "and its fear."

"A lot of fear," I blinked, looking up at my husband.

"We have always been strong, _cya'rika_. Our family is strong. This won't change that. Fear is how they control us," Rex insisted.

"I won't be controlled," I said after several moments, glancing up at Rex. "My pack will _not_ be controlled."

"You _can't_ be controlled," Rex teased softly, kissing my forehead. "Want to spar?" he asked gently, looking around the small hotel room.

"I don't think we have the space," I winked. Rex grinned at me, instantly giving me hope again. As the years had passed, Rex had begun to take on some of Fives' optimism.

"If we jump on the table, we might," he suggested, looking over at the rickety table that I doubted would hold even Plo's weight.

"We might leave saber marks in the walls," I snorted.

"Any other ideas then?" Rex teased as I grinned. Letting out a soft squeal, I ran away as he lunged for me. I ran around the couch several times before he finally leaped onto it and pulled me over, stifling my squeals with his mouth. We both giggled softly, knowing that anything louder would only wake the children.

"Bath?" I smiled, looking up into Rex's ocher eyes. In reply, he only gave me the half-smirk that had captivated me since our first meeting. I sighed as his lips met mine.


	5. Chapter 5

Just a small note from the author.

As you all I noticed I haven't updated 13 Years later, I have been having several issues with this story. I'm not all that pleased with the story line. I am going to attempt a rewrite of this story, I will keep what I have posted— Just for some off chance I might use some of a chapter or pieces of it.

Please be patient with me, I will try to get this written and updated.

Jadedsnowtiger


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